Saturday, February 11, 2017

What a cool surprise this week when I was at the airport in Tampa coming back from vacation to check Facebook and see Tommy Stinson was going to be doing an in-store performance about 10 minutes from my place at Woodstock Music Shop in Kingston, NY on Saturday, February 11, 2017. Some of the performance was to be broadcast live on local radio station WDST and hosted by DJ Greg Gattine.(By the way - since you're reading this, you're obviously a fan of Tommy, so be sure to check out my post about Tommy and the L.A.M.F. super group show in NYC a couple of months back by clicking here. Lots of Great Video!)We got there about 15 minutes before the 1:00 pm start time to about 30 people milling about (about 50 would be in attendance by the time the show started) and flipping through the record bins and checking out the instruments. We went up by the small stage in the back and Tommy came out a few minutes later letting us know he would need volunteers to help out on kazoo for "On The Rocks", the fist single from the latest Bash & Pop album "Anything Could Happen." He handed out about 20 and asked we all gather round the mic and did a quick run through of the riff and telling us to go wild when he called for the solo when we were live on air. It was decided we (I say we, as the kazoo choir was the backing band for this appearance of just Tommy and his guitar) would open with this song.Greg Gattine introduced Tommy to the radio audience and he started off with a great rendition of "On the Rocks" and we on kazoo killed it! There was a young kid right up front and center in a Star Wars shirt that Tommy was talking to before the show and he dedicated the next song, "Anybody Else," to him. After the set, Tommy commented how glad he was to see parents bring their kids out to see and experience new live music.At this point, before the next song, Gattine asked Tommy when he was a child who he wanted to be when he grew up. The crowd threw out suggestions of Keith Richards and Johnny Thunders, but Tommy assured us it was Brian May of Queen and talked about meeting Brian during Tommy's stint as bassist in Guns n Roses for "Chinese Democracy" and how he stumped Brian with a jazz chord in a song he wrote for the album that Brian played on.Tommy then played "Bad News" - the sound and performances of all the songs were excellent and here's video I shot of this one:

Before playing the last song of the portion of the show to be aired live, Gattine asked Tommy to talk about the recording of the new Bash & Pop album here in the Hudson Valley where Tommy now lives. Tommy talked about how it was great to get together with his musician friends and basically record the album live in the studio how he used to do it and how he prefers to record. He then said he is trying to work out an idea to curate a "Friday Night Is Killing Me" party at Mountain Jam this year...as of now Bash & Pop is not on the bill, but hopefully this will happen! Tommy then played "First Steps."Gattine bid adieu to the radio audience and Tommy said he'd play a few more for us starting with the title track of the new album "Anything Could Happen" and then ending with "Not This Time". Here's the video I filmed of those two tunes:

Afterward Tommy stuck around and met with everyone, signing and taking pictures as requested. I got him to sign my poster for the one Replacements show I ever go to see on this past reunion tour. One of my all time favorite shows. It's always looked cool framed on my wall and looks cooler now with Tommy's signature. I had him sign my kazoo as well!What a great Saturday afternoon!If you dug this go to the MostPeopleAreBlank Facebook page by following this linkand click the "Like" button to join (as shown below) to be kept up to date on future posts, to comment, share and take part in our giveaways and contests!